DR. KIM: Thank you, all, so much for coming and welcome to the World Bank.As always, I have some very nice prepared remarks, and so I will give them out of respect for the people who prepared them,... Show More + but I'm also going to talk a little bit about from personal experiences. Hundreds of millions of children and adults in Africa live at risk of disfigurement, impaired development, blindness, and even death from seven major preventable, neglected--so called neglected tropical diseases, includes river blindness, elephantiasis, trachoma, and various types of [? 00:37] [unclear] parasites. It's not that these diseases really have been neglected. It's the people who suffer from them who have been neglected. Protecting poor people from preventable diseases and from acute suffering remains a part of our mission to end poverty and [unclear] Show Less -

In honor of our Japanese hosts, I would like to start my remarks by making some comments in Japanese.Mina-sama Kon-Nichiwa. Okagesama-de, Sekai Ginkou-noSousai Toshite Hajimete-no Soukai-deSendai-nimo... Show More + Iki, Mina-sama-noYasashisa-to Tsuyosa-ni Fure,Subarashii Kizuna-wo Tsukuru Koto-gaDeki-mashita.Arigato Gozai-mashita. [Hello everybody. Thanks to your help, I could complete my first Annual Meetings and visit Sendai as the President of the World Bank. I was touched by your kindness and resilience. I am glad that we could build a wonderful Kizuna. Thank you very much.]I don’t know if there was translation, but if not, too bad.I want to first of all just thank you.I want to thank the Japanese people and the government of Japan for just a truly outstanding meeting. The Japanese government I think demonstrated to all of us the character of the Japanese people by responding to the great tragedy of March 11, 2011 by insisting that these meetings focus on ensuring that all countries – Show Less -

MR. MILLS: Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining us for the Development Committee Closing Press Conference. Thank you all for coming. ... Show More + Each of our participants and speakers today will make an opening statement. Then we will be happy to take your questions. I would just like to remind everyone to identify yourself and your organization when you ask a question, and if you could make sure that your cell phones and pagers are turned off. The topic of today’s press conference will be on the Development Committee and development issues. Thank you. Chairman Belka? MR. BELKA: Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Show Less -

MR. MILLS: Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us for our press conference with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.President Kim will deliver some opening remarks, and then we will... Show More + be very happy to take your questions. I am sure you have been warned before, but if everyone could just turn off their cell phones and put their beepers on “vibrate,” that would be great; and when you ask your question if you could please identify yourself and your news organization. President Kim.DR. KIM: Thank you for coming. I know many of you attended Annual Meetings before. This is my first, and I am looking forward to meeting with Governors and our stakeholders.First, let me thank the Government and people of Japan. The planning and work done and the hospitality extended to us has been just wonderful.I think it is especially meaningful, because this year marks the 60th anniversary of the strong relationship that the Bank and Japan have enjoyed over the years.Japan Show Less -

Thank you for coming. I know many of you have attended Annual Meetings before. This is my first, and I'm looking forward to meeting with Governors and our stakeholders.First, let me thank the government... Show More + and people of Japan. The planning and work done and the hospitality extended to us has been just wonderful.I think it’s especially meaningful because this year marks the 60th anniversary of the strong relationship the Bank and Japan has enjoyed over the years.Japan started out as our client in the 1950s and 1960s, borrowing a total of $863 million for 31 projects, including signature projects such as the bullet train, Kuroyon-Dam and the Tomei Expressway. Japan now is our second largest shareholder and the third largest donor to the International Development Association – the Bank’s fund for the poorest. It is truly a success story and a remarkable show of generosity.But it doesn’t end there. Japan has shared its knowledge and experience with the rest of the world as it evolved from a d Show Less -

MS. TUCK: Hello. This is the Washington Press Briefing on the World Development Report. I am on the line live at a press briefing. Can people hear me? ... Show More + [Responses in affirmative.] MS. TUCK: I would ask media colleagues who are on the line to please "mute" your devices because we are about to begin this briefing. It is starting a little late. We have had some technological snafus, but we are going to get this briefing started. This is Merrell Tuck. I am the Senior Communications Officer, Development Economics. This is an embargoed briefing for the World Development Report 2013 on Jobs, and this Report is embargoed until 7 p.m. tonight Eastern Daylight Time, which is 11 p.m. GMT Show Less -

MR. MILLS: Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for joining us for this roundtable. My name is Richard Mills. I know many of you; welcome. I... Show More + want to set up a couple ground rules to begin with. First of all, we're going to have this session embargoed until the end of the session, so that should keep all the--maybe some of the hurried typing down to a minimum. The other thing I would just ask is that you--when we call on you, just repeat, for the record of the transcript, your name and organization, and then we can go into questions. I handed out a statement and I will turn it over to President Kim. President Kim?MR. KIM: Well, th Show Less -

DR. KIM: Good morning, everyone.I'm honored today to assume the presidency of the World Bank Group. I do so at a pivotal moment for the global economy.I want to start by thanking my predecessor, Robert... Show More + Zoellick. Bob has done a fantastic job over the last five years, and he has left me with a very strong institution.I spent most of my adult life working in some of the poorest communities in the world. And in my work, what I've learned is that the World Bank is the most important development institution in the world. I'm both humbled and inspired to take over today as President.You know, over the last few months, I've had the privilege of talking with many, many World Bank employees, and what I've found is that not only is it the most important global development institution in the world, but it's a movement. People here in Washington, and in more than a hundred country offices all over the world, are passionate about the twin aims of boosting prosperity and eradicating poverty. I'm very Show Less -

Working with others we've launched an Open Data for Resilience Initiative, a global effort working in 25 countries. An example is haitidata.org, which makes risk assessment data produced following... Show More + the 2010 Haiti earthquake available for anyone to download and use.Similarly, Open Data for the Horn of Africa now facilitates open access to geospatial information, data and knowledge sources about the ongoing response to the drought in the Horn of Africa.My point is simple: Farmers, fisher folk, and others around the world are using data and technology everyday to deal with increasing uncertainty brought on by climate change. In Nepal they are using PDAs – computers that fit into the palm of your hand - to collect data regarding changes in food security situations. In Chile, farmers can use low-cost mobiles to receive SMS messages about weather forecasts, market prices and even the latest cultivation practices.In India, fisher folk can use mobile phones to receive messages about weath Show Less -

Introduction Thank you for the honor of your invitation to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Inter-American Dialogue. The origins of this Dialogue stretch back to a discussion between Peter... Show More + Bell and Abe Lowenthal on a park bench. Peter and Abe were disturbed by the breakdown in inter-American exchanges during the Falklands/Malvinas war, and by the lack of ties with the rising democrats of Latin America. So they discussed bringing together leaders from across the hemisphere to set a new inter-American agenda. The Dialogue held its first ad hoc conference in late 1982. Today, 30 years later, Latin America’s very success offers the opportunity to remake that Hemispheric partnership around new pillars:A revived free trade policy that will aid structural reforms for growth in all our countries;An energy transformation, ending the Hemisphere’s energy dependency; A new diplomacy infused with private sector pragmatism to solve public problems;Shared Show Less -

IntroductionIt’s a great pleasure to join you today for IFC’s 14th Annual Global Private Equity Conference in association with the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association, or EMPEA. The story... Show More + of this conference is emblematic of how the world economy has changed: Fourteen years ago, a small group met in the basement of IFC to discuss the prospect of private equity in developing countries. Today, there are more than 800 people here, from nearly 60 countries: institutional investors; public and pension funds; private investors; endowments and family offices; senior investment professionals; chief investment officers, and directors from leading fund managers around the world, as well as representatives from development institutions and government agencies. Plenary sessions and roundtable discussions cover a range of issues over three days – the global economic outlook and regulatory trends, of course – but also non-financial risks, infrastructure, SMEs, mezzanine Show Less -

MR. MILLS: Well, thank you very much for joining us for this closing press conference. Our participants will each make an opening statement and then we'll take... Show More + your questions. If I can ask everyone to please turn off your mobile devices or put them to vibrate, we would appreciate it. Chairman Belka. MR. BELKA: Thank you. As we are late, I am not going to be very descriptive about the meeting of the Development Committee. You know the agenda. The discussion was very rich, centering around the social safety nets, the private sector involvement in growth initiatives, as well we discussed modernization of the World Bank. However, one thing that is obvious, it took so long because all the delegates took the opportunity of this Development Committee meeting to express gratitude and adm Show Less -

MR. MILLS: Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us for our World Bank Group press conference for the 2012 Spring Meetings. Joining me this morning is the President of the World Bank... Show More + Group, Robert Zoellick, who will have an opening statement and then take some of your questions. If I could please ask everyone when they ask a question to identify themselves and your organization; and once again, I am sure you have been asked, but if we could have our mobile devices switched off or to "vibrate." So, President Zoellick. MR. ZOELLICK: Thank you, Rich. Welcome, and thanks to all of you for coming. This marks my last Spring Meetings as the President of the World Bank Group, so I would like to begin with a few words of thanks to the Ministers who have supported us and worked with us; to our Executive Board, who have labored hard to help our Management team to modernize the important multilateral institution; to the excellent Senior Manageme Show Less -

Moderator: ... joining us for this news conference this morning with World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick. Also joining us today, as many of you already know, Klaus Rohland, our Country Director... Show More + for China. Mr Zoellick will begin with some brief opening remarks and then he'll be pleased to take your questions. If you haven't had a chance to silence your mobile devices, this would be a good time to do so. Let's get started. We'll turn it over to Mr Zoellick, please.Mr. Zoellick: Well, first I'd like to thank all of you for coming, and I apologise, I seem to be losing my voice a bit. I'd like to start by thanking the Government of China and the Chinese people for the hospitality extended to my colleagues and me during this visit. [Unclear]Moderator: Ladies and gentleman, we will resume our discussion here, please. Everyone has a chance to get settled, please.Mr. Zoellick: We'll wait for people to sit down [unclear].Well as you see this report has provoked some Show Less -

IntroductionHonorable Ministers; ladies and gentlemen.It’s a great pleasure to be here today to present the “China 2030 Report.”The idea for this study was conceived eighteen months ago, when I met with... Show More + Executive Vice Premier Li Keqiang at the time of the 30th anniversary of the partnership between China and the World Bank.We discussed how we could deepen that partnership – how we could build on the knowledge and learning, the mutual respect and friendship developed over three decades between China and the Bank.Vice Premier Li endorsed a proposal that we work together on identifying and analyzing China’s medium-term development challenges, looking forward to 2030. President Hu Jintao and Vice President Xi Jinping welcomed the proposal.So I’d like to thank Vice Premier Li for his unwavering commitment to this project.I’d also like to thank Minister Xie Xuren and Minister Li Wei for hosting today’s conference, and bringing together this distinguished audience to discuss the work.In Show Less -

Moderator: Morning ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for joining us. President Zoellick will be pleased to take your questions about the discussion you just heard in China 2030 report. I'd ask you to kindly... Show More + silence your machines of various sorts, and we'll proceed with the questions. Over to you - let's take the first question please.Mr. Zoellick: As Carl said, since I presented an opening statement, and our time isn't too long, we'll just go straight to questions.Moderator: Okay, we'll take your questions please. Let's go to the gentleman from AP.Joe McDonald: I'm Joe McDonald from the Associated Press. Many elements of this report are sort of in line with the party's Five Year Plan, but the emphasis on the private sector element does seem to clash with some of the things the government is doing - [unclear] government-owned national [unclear] industry. I wonder if you can tell us, what is your assessment of the pace and direction of reform now, and how realistic do you think it is to say t Show Less -

“A New S-O-S: Save Our Seas”IntroductionLadies and gentlemen,Oceans are the lifeblood of our world.They flow over more than 70 percent of our planet, and hold about 97 percent of its water. They... Show More + absorb heat and carbon dioxide, generate oxygen, and shape the world’s weather patterns. They provide about 15 percent of the animal protein for the world’s population.The air that we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Whether we live inland or on coastlines, each one of us relies on healthy oceans. So I’m particularly pleased to have this opportunity today to discuss the need for coordinated global action to restore the oceans to health.I’d like to thank The Economist for convening this Summit, and John Micklethwait for chairing today’s session. And I’d especially like to thank all of you for your commitment to this issue.Addressing Oceans: Challenges and OpportunitiesOver centuries, we thought that oceans were so vast, so deep, that we could take from t Show Less -

MICKLETHWAIT: Thank you Bob. A somewhat churlish question, you might say, particularly from a man who's just said that he'll raise 1.5 billion for the oceans. What some people are bound to ask is, why... Show More + do we need a new partnership for the oceans? You've got the UN, you've got a variety of different groups already involved. Why this extra level?ZOELLICK: I think the good news is - I commented in my remarks early on - is that there have been tremendous contributions from a wide variety of players, but the facts don't lie. The statistics are we're not doing enough, we're not accomplishing enough and the oceans continue to get sick and die.So as we started this dialogue with partners - and I'll first acknowledge many of them had much more experience than I would've had in this area - but I've seen this in other fields of biodiversity. We started to find that there was a commonality - a recognition that in some case the knowledge and experience, for example, of setting up governance or right Show Less -

MR. FERGUSON: Hi, good morning. Alex Ferguson from the World Bank. Thanks for joining us today. World Bank President Robert Zoellick is going to brief you on this week's G20 meetings. Just for background,... Show More + you should all have been sent his Washington Post piece that was published on Sunday. After his statement, Mr. Zoellick will take a few questions. When we do get to the questions, please identify yourself and your organization before asking a question. All of Mr. Zoellick's remarks will be on the record. Mr. Zoellick, please, go ahead. MR. ZOELLICK: Okay. Thank you, Alex. Well, thanks, all, for joining us. We're looking towards the G20 Summit this weekend, and the package developed by the Eurozone leaders last week was a positive step, but there's much still to do. What's most important now is not to waste the moment. Markets are responding now to readings of confidence as much as pure finance, and the confidence challenge is now focused on governme Show Less -

Development Committee Press ConferenceSeptember 24, 2011 MR. MILLS: Thank you all for coming to the closing press conference for the World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings. Each... Show More + of the participants today will give an opening statement, and then we'll go to questions. We will begin first with DC Chairman Al Khalifa, World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick, and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. MR. AL KHALIFA: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to this press conference on today's Development Committee Meeting. I am pleased to be joined by Bob Zoellick and Christine Lagarde. Today's meeting gave us a chance to exchange views in three important areas. We discussed the prospects for growth and how the developing countries are doing in the rapidly changing circumstance of the world economy. We discussed the policy and operational implications of the new World Development Report Show Less -